M.I.A. recruits Julian Assange for New York concert

Politically outspoken rapper M.I.A. had an unusual guest lined-up for her concert in New York on Friday – she opened the show with a live video transmission via Skype from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

M.I.A. decided to use her gig at Terminal 5 to give Assange a new platform to air his views on press freedom and online privacy, as he urged the sold-out crowd to fight the “military occupation of cyberspace.”

He then recalled lyrics from M.I.A.’s 2010 track “The Message” to get his point across, reciting: “‘iPhone connected to the Internet/ Connected to the Google/ Connected to the government’ – it turns out she was right.”

Assange also praised the British star as “the most courageous woman working in Western music.”

(Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)

M.I.A.’s choice of guest should come as no surprise to her loyal fans – she teamed up with Assange to compose the soundtrack for his TV show “The World Tomorrow” last year.

Assange was unable to appear in New York in person as he continues to hide out at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he has been given political asylum for over a year. He faces immediate arrest and extradition to Sweden to face accusations of rape and sexual assault if he leaves the building.